Structural joint



May 12, 1953 c. o. LARSQN STRUCTURAL JOINT Filed Feb. 19, 1947 Patented May 12, 1953 1i,

UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE STRUCTURAL JOINT v Charles 0. Larson, Sterling, Ill. Application February 19, 1947, Serial No. 729,434

1- 1 This invention relates to structural joints includingthose employed in -saw horses, ladders, s tiles,l and other` constructions ordinarily made of wood, and wherein strong joints between the beams or other members thereof are required.

Among the objects ofthe present invention is to provide an improved type of sheet metal saw horse bracket or plate wherein two such identical' plates are Yutilized to clampingly engage therebetween converging leg members or other structural beams, together with a cross beam, whereby the same arey rigidly held in .joined together position, and particularly wherein a pair ofA strut members are interconnected to the underside ofthe beam-and the side wall of the brackets to provide reinforced rigidity and to provide additional means for holding the pair of plates or Ybrackets vto the cross beam while the two `converging leg members or other wooden members are held in clamped together position between the pair of bracketsand in a mannerto receiveand hold the cross beam itself.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a pair of sheet `metal bracket members and a pair of sheet metal struts constructed and arranged detachably to engage with and to be clamped by the fastening means, such as bolts, which interconnect the two clamping plates or brackets to the leg members or other structural members and whereby the struts are arranged to be fastened to the underside of the cross beam and detachably fastened to the plate members.

lAxiother object of the invention is to provide a pair of bracket members' or plates of sheet metal adapted to clamp therebetween the converging top portions of two leg members or converging structural beams, vtogether with the cross b eamfreceived by they plate members, the brackets or platel members having spaced apart openings disposed in substantially pyramidal, spaced apart formation with the apex of the pyramidal shaped openings located uppermost, said openings being arranged so that when bolts are passed through the registering openings the three bolts will act as guiding means for the upper converging portions of, the two leg members or other structural members for guiding and directing the same relatively to the overlapping side flanges of the plate or bracket members.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from a perusal of the following speciiication when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

1 Claim. (Cl. 304-5) 2 Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved sheet metal bracket member and strut for forming a structural joint between converging members in -a cross beam; l Figure 2 is a section taken on the line- 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3-of Figure 2; l

Figure 4 is a perspective View of the strut member; and.y K v Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the sheet metal bracket or plate members. n

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the invention is herein illustrated as applied to a structural joint, particularly a structural joint for holding together the leg-members 2 and 4 to the top beam or cross support G. To accomplish this, duplicate or identical sheet metal plates or brackets are used, in combination with duplicate and identical strut members. Each bracket or plate is formed in the construction shown in Figure 5 in particular,` and comprises a plate member 8 of a generally truncated pyramidal form having a longer basal Yportion I0 and two converging right angularly disposed integral sheet metal flangesr I2 and I4 which are bent into parallelism on the same side facewhich is the inner face of the plate 8. The upper edge of the truncated pyramidal plate 8 is provided with a rectangular shaped notch I6, the parallel edges I8 and 20 forming such notch merging into a bottom edge 22 formed by bending over an integral part of the cutout so as to form a horizontally extending flange 24 which extends rinwardly on the inner face of the plate 8 or on the same side of the plate as the flanges I2 and I4 project. The opposite or outer "side of the plate is provided with two bumped out strengthening ribs 2li and 28, both of which are preferably formed parallel to the base and to each other, and in addition each plate is provided with a pair of holes 3U, 32 and 34. These holes are arranged in pyramidal relation with the holes 30 and 32 disposed at the base and parallel to the reinforcing bumper 36 and the upper or apexal wall 34 being located above the reinforcement 28 and below the flange 22. In addition each plate 8 is provided with a series of screw or nail holes 36, 38, 40, 42, 44 and 46 which are adapted to receive nails, screws or other fasteners which penetrate the upper portions of the vleg members to fasten the brackets thereto.

In addition, the upper portion of each flange I2 and I4 is provided with fastener, nail, or screw holes 48 and 50 through which nails or screws are adapted to pass to engage into the side Walls of the beam 6 whereby to fasten the brackets or plates to the beam 6.

It is to be noted that the notch formed in the upper wall of the plate is of dimensions snugly to receive the cross sectional arrangement of the beam 6 so that the same rests in the spaced notches of the pair of plates and rests upon the flanges 24 of these plates.

Threebolts 5.2, 5.4 and 56 pass through the registering bolt openings 30, 32 and 34' of the plates and these bolts are provided with heads at one end and at the opposite end are threaded to receive Wing nuts 58, 60 and 62 which clampingly tighten the plates together to grip the upper ends of the converging leg portions or structural members therebetween.

The fastening nails or screws 64, 66, 68, T0, 12 and T4 pass through the fastener openings in the plate to engage the legs or other structural members 2` and 4 whereby to.A fasten these plates: directly tothe legs.`

Means is provided `for structural-ly rein-forcing; or rigidifying the joint between. the assembled plates or brackets and leg members; 2 and 4 or the like, to the opposite member This meanscomprises a pair of sheet metal struts., or braces 16 having angularly bent ends i8 and m1 the end 8.0 boing bent; at rient anales4 to, theenol 18. and each of the ends being bent substantially. forty-s five degrees to the central. portion le. The end 18 is provided with a central fastener opening 82A and the tab or en d` 80; is; provided with a. pair of opposed. notches 3.4. and et. These struts are applied. in the manner shown in rigures. l andy 2, by having a, fastening means Such as a4 screw or nai-1.` nass thro-ugh the. opening 6.2 into the. andenA side; of the beam 6. and thebolts 59.1 and engage in the notches 8G. and 84. detachabiy, to, clamp the lower endv of this. strut against the. outer side wall of the. plate it This Occurs n both sides with respect to both brackets4 sothat when. the stru-ts are thus clamped the entire. striictuzal` joint will. be veri. rigidly reinforced not only by the clamping plates or. brackets but. also by. the afnggularlyv disposed, strap. or strat, member lr6. Due to.. the spacing'. and. ansularity Qt thestrut members thej lesI or. other members Z, elfldh 4, will be, structurally held from. movement in a. direction longitudinally of the.. structural. beam; 6, and furthermore the str1-it. member will. act a nieans` for rigidly. interconnecting, the. bracket members 3. with. the-.beam at spaced apart intervals along: the` beam. on opposite sides, of the brackets, and the, two, les members...

Itwil-Lthasbe seen; that l` have provided. avery strong.. rigid, structural jointfor i nterconnectins` three angularly disposed Wooden. members. by means of. sheet metal parts which are. fastened or rigid` and detachable, interconnection- CIT Obviously the invention is not limited to the specic details of construction disclosed herein but is capable of other modifications and changes Without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

In a device of the class described, a top beam, a pair of less cQn-verginglv related to each other and to the beam at opposite and' end portions of the beam, means for securing each pair of legs together and to the beam, said means comprisingl a pair of separate, independent and identical stamped sheet metal plates for each pair of legs. each plate including a 4tapered quadrilateral face portion having .an approximately rectangular notch inset from its shorter upper parallel side for receiving the top beam and having straight flanges extending right angularly from its converging sidesand .engaged witnthe outer faces of the legs, fastening belts. disposed pvramidal spacedV relation, pass-ing through, openings in the side platesbetween the spaoed upper-portions of the centers-,ins lessfior ciampi-nsf. the plates: te settler with the less. therebetween, each ot vsaid plates havingA an outstanding; integral rigidifying boss.. extending; parallel to, and spaced from` the bottom edgeo the plate-, and a, pair or sheet. metal stru-trs eac-h comprising, an .elongated strip. hav-ins its oppositeends: bent. substantially forty yrive des-rees to the plane. of: theintermediate portion of the. strip,y one of' said endsof each strut. having a, fastener opening. and fastener means. for securing the. same to, thespacedf underside of the beam on. each side. of the.-1egs;.and the other end or: each strlmlying. contactrwith the ripper walloff said rigidifying bosatwoiof .thepyramidal spaced. apart openingsirorfthe bolts lying.v immediately above said ri'gd-ifivingA boss, and the. lower end of said. sheet'l metal strut having end slots into which said .las-t mentionedI pairof spaced bolts pass` whereby .saidl bolts. which clamp the clamping plates. .togetherA likewise clamp the rigidifying-'struts in position..

CHARLESBO. LARSN.

References '.Gitedf, in*v the file olf patent UNITED" STATES PATENTS Number Name.- Date.

390,103 Wallace Sept. 25 18.88- 4364220.- Chubbuck Sept. 9,1890 43,3;280. Wright Oct. 14,. 1,890

L,2.ll,96,9 Brethomi Jan. 2, 19.1.7Y 11,81 1,139.4 Roos une 23, 1.931. 1,942,003 Rundle s Jan. 2, 193e. 231911,85?. Larson Apr.. 1.6, 19.450. 2,316,181 Larson May 22,I 1945 

